Smart road system for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A road system includes a road surface along which vehicles travel, with the vehicles traveling along the road surface including electric vehicles. A plurality of electrical charging elements is disposed along the road surface. Batteries of electric vehicles traveling along the road surface are electrically charged as the electric vehicles travel along the electrical charging elements disposed along the road surface. A plurality of communication devices along the road surface. The communication devices are operable to wirelessly communicate with vehicles traveling along the road surface. At least some of the communication devices along the road wirelessly communicate lane information to a vehicle traveling along a lane of the road surface. Responsive to the wirelessly communicated lane information, the vehicle maintains its path of travel in the lane traveled along by the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/670,002, filed Aug. 7, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,051,061,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/814,882,filed Jul. 31, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,729,636, which claims thefiling benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/032,037,filed Aug. 1, 2014, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a communication system forvehicles and, more particularly, to a vehicle communication system thatprovides or communicates information to or between vehicles travelingalong a road.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Communication systems for vehicles may provide for communication betweenvehicles and/or between a vehicle and a remote server. Such car2car orV2V and car2X or V2X technology provides for communication betweenvehicles based on information provided by one or more vehicles and/orinformation provided by a remote server or the like. Examples of suchsystems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,580,795 and/or U.S. PublicationNos. US-2012-0218412, published Aug. 30, 2012, and/or US-2012-0062743published Mar. 15, 2012, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vehicle communication system thatincludes communication devices incorporated into or integrated in apowered road or strip along a roadway, whereby the communication systemis operable to communicate information to vehicles traveling along theroad and is operable to receive information from vehicles travelingalong the road. The communication system and road is/are solar poweredso that the devices disposed along the road may operate without a wiredpower supply connection to a power plant or the like.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle traveling along a smart roadhaving a communication system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of an electric vehicle traveling alonganother smart road having a communication system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the smart road and vehicle communicationsystem of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system thatincorporates cameras in accordance with the present invention.

LEGEND

-   -   10—vehicle;    -   12—vision system of vehicle;    -   14 a-d—vehicle cameras;    -   16—display;    -   18—controller;    -   20—interior rearview mirror assembly;    -   21—dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) radio or high        speed wireless radio modem;    -   22—wireless radio antenna to communicate with the smart road;    -   23—reliable and secure wireless communication link between        vehicle and smart road;    -   24—solar panel to power the high speed radio communication modem        module;    -   25—power connector between solar panel and high speed modem;    -   26—high speed communication modem and gateway (integral part of        the smart road);    -   27—high speed wireless antenna, integral part of the smart road;    -   28—smart road;    -   29—high speed fiber optic network connecting high speed        communication modem and gateway to the central server;    -   30—high computation power super computers executing safety        monitoring and automated driving algorithms;    -   31—vehicle with wireless or conductive charging capability;    -   32—conductive tire assembly;    -   33—solar panel integrated conductive surface;    -   34—conductive charger controller integral part of the smart        road;    -   35—conductive charger output;    -   36—power source for the conductive charging controller;    -   37—wireless charger as the integral part of the smart road;    -   38—induction power transmission link;    -   39—power connection between solar panel and the power source;    -   40—power converter;    -   50—vehicle sensor modules (radar, cameras, IMU, GPS, lidar        etc.);    -   51—automated/semi-automated control module;    -   52—actuators (engine, transmission, brake, steering controller);    -   53—internal safety monitoring module;    -   54—high speed wireless link integral part of the smart road;    -   55—alert/warning system part of the vehicle (dedicated display        in case of safety interventions);    -   57—smart road sensors that communicate with other automated        vehicles and provide location, vehicle information        (acceleration, brake etc.);    -   58—surround view vehicle information processing module;    -   59—internet connectivity to get access to map, weather and        traffic information;    -   60—central safety monitoring (semi-automated vehicle case) or        control of automated driven vehicles traveling in the smart        road;    -   61—sensor feedback from the individual vehicles are transmitted        to central processing module via high speed wireless link; and    -   62—local vehicle control out is monitored by the central        monitoring and control module.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a communication system includes communication devices disposedalong or integrated in a solar powered roadway (FIGS. 1-3). Solarpowered roadways for providing different lighting configurations havebeen proposed. An example of such a solar powered roadway is describedat http://www.solarroadways.com/intro.shtml.

The present invention provides solar powered roads that include acommunication system that communicates (using a high speed securenetwork) with the vehicles traveling on and along the road and withvehicles traveling at any speed on and along the road, which makes thesolar powered roads of the present invention “smart roads.” The smartroads may detect or sense the exact location of the traveling vehiclesusing sensors or receivers along the smart roads (such as a receiverthat receives a communication from vehicles, such as a communicationthat is substantially continuously transmitted by a vehiclecommunication system and that identifies the particular vehicle).Vehicles using the smart roads may communicate to the smart road systeminformation pertaining the vehicle's sensors, actuators and/or driverintent information and/or the like.

The smart roads of the present invention may be connected via anysuitable means, such as a high speed secure fiber optics network or thelike, to a remote or central system, such as a system having high speedsuper computers or remote servers or the like. The central system may beoperable (such as responsive to a determination of an autonomous vehicleon one of the smart roads) to drive the automated vehicles on the smartroad. For example, as an autonomous vehicle enters the smart road/lane,the communication system of the vehicle communicates information aboutthe location or route that is entered for the vehicle to follow, thesmart road system receives this communication and communicates theinformation to the high speed super computers of the central server,which has all the environment information and road information andtransmits commands to the fully automated vehicle in real time tocontrol the autonomous vehicle and drive it from its current locationalong the desired route and to its final destination. Because the smartroad system has information of other roads along the path of traveltowards the destination of the autonomous vehicle, the system roadsystem may adjust or alter the route, such as responsive to traffic orweather conditions or the like. The system may monitor the behavior ofautomated/semi-automated/manually driven vehicles and take necessarysafety intervention in case of system malfunction or driver error. Forexample, responsive to a determination of a hazardous condition of asemi-automated/manually driven vehicle traveling on and along the smartroad, the system may communicate signals to that vehicle to a vehiclecontrol system of that vehicle to control at least one of the throttleof the vehicle, the brakes of the vehicle and the steering of thevehicle as the vehicle travels on the road, whereby the driver maytemporarily relinquish control of a manually driven or semi-autonomousvehicle to the control unit of the smart road system.

The smart road system may transmit the exact lane information withrespect to a vehicle traveling along the road, which could be used forlane keep assist, automated lane change and/or the like of that vehicleand other vehicles traveling in the same lane or other lanes of theroad. Because the smart road system may send the information on thevehicle to other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle, the driverintent may be communicated to other vehicles and this information may befused with the existing ADAS sensors and used for ADAS featureenhancement (such as for adaptive cruise control (ACC), cross trafficalert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and/or the like).

As shown in FIG. 1, vehicles 10 may include a DSRC radio 21 and wirelessradio antenna 22 to communicate (via a reliable and secure wirelesscommunication link 23) with a high speed wireless antenna 27 that is anintegral part of the smart road 28. The smart road 28 includes solarpanels 24 that power the high speed radio communication modem or module26 via power connector 25. A high speed fiber optics network 29 mayconnect the communication device or modem 26 with a remote server 30(such as a high computation power computer or server or the like). Thesmart road thus may receive vehicle information from the vehicle and maycommunicate other information to the vehicle system or may control oneor more accessories or systems of the vehicle. The information mayinclude lane information, location information, safety monitoringintervention commands or automated driving commands or other vehicleinformation about the vehicle and/or its surroundings and/or othervehicles at or near the subject vehicle or elsewhere on the road aheadof or behind the subject vehicle).

Optionally, and such as shown in FIG. 2, the smart road system of thepresent invention may comprise a self-power source (such as a solarpowered smart road system) and the smart road may be operable charge thebatteries or power source of electric vehicles, such as by usingwireless charging systems or conductive tires or the like, such that theelectric vehicles may be charged as they travel along the road. Forexample, and such as shown in FIG. 2, a vehicle 31 may include aconductive wheel/tire assembly 32 that rollingly engages a solar panelintegrated conductive surface 33 of the smart road as the vehicletravels along and on the smart road. The smart road includes aconductive charger controller 34 as an integral part of the smart road,and the controller 34 generates a conductive charger output 35 forpowering the conductive surface 33 for charging the vehicle powersource. The smart road includes a power source 40 that powers theconductive charging controller via connection 36 and powers theconductive surface 33 via connection 39. Optionally, the power source 40may power a wireless charger 37 of the smart road that provides aninduction power transmission link 38 for inductively charging the powersource of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along and on the smartroad.

Optionally, the smart road system of the present invention may providehigh precision geographical location information of vehicles travelingalong the road(s), because the precise geographical location of pointsalong the roads may be entered and known when the smart roads aredeployed. This information may be communicated to the vehicles and mayact as redundant GPS information, which may be useful in situationswhere GPS satellite reception is lost or interrupted, such as in citieswith dense buildings, tunnels and/or the like). Optionally, the smartroad system may communicate location based advertisements to thevehicles traveling along the road (such as advertisements for fuel,restaurants, hotels or the like) that are local to the current knowngeographical location of the vehicle traveling along the smart road.

Because the geographic location information is well known during theinstallation of the smart road, the smart road may transmit orcommunicate high resolution geographic information to vehicles travelingon and along the smart road. Such geographic information may beredundant to the satellite GPS signal received by the vehicle-based GPSsystems, and is also useful in situations where the vehicle's GPSsatellite reception is lost or interrupted, such as in a tunnel or incities and/or the like. The geographical information may be transmittedby the communication devices responsive to determination or detection ofa vehicle traveling along the road at or near respective geographicallocations, with each communication device communicating informationpertaining to the sensed location of the vehicle on the road. Forexample, the system (without input from the remote server) may transmitgeographical information to vehicles traveling on and along the road sothat the vehicles receive accurate geographical location information(that is either redundant to the vehicle-based GPS systems or thatsupplements the vehicle-based GPS systems if the satellite signals arelost or interrupted). Optionally, for example, the communication devicesof the road (responsive to the remote server that may receive vehicleinformation) may communicate information to a vehicle traveling on theroad pertaining to a destination location and route for that vehicle(where such information may be communicated by the vehicle via a V2Xcommunication link to the communication devices and/or remote server),such that the vehicle maintains the navigation information even if thesatellite signals are lost or interrupted.

Optionally, because the lane marking information is also known duringthe installation of the smart road, the smart road communication devicesmay transmit or communicate lane information (such as for a lanedeparture warning system of the vehicles), such as responsive to thesensors of the smart road (and processor or server) sensing ordetermining the vehicle location on the road surface. For example, if avehicle starts to move out of a lane and into another lane occupied byanother vehicle, the smart road (knowing the location of both vehiclesand the lane boundaries) can generate a signal to an alert system of thelane-changing vehicle to alert the driver of the hazardous condition.The smart road may transmit or communicate lane location information tovehicles traveling on and along the road, and such communication may beredundant to lane marker detection by the vehicles, but will be veryuseful in poor visibility conditions (such as in snow or rain or mudconditions), where the vehicle sensor (such as a forward viewing camera)may have difficulty determining the lane markers on the road ahead ofthe vehicle. The lane information may be transmitted by thecommunication devices responsive to determination or detection of avehicle traveling along the road at or near respective communicationdevices, with each communication device communicating informationpertaining to the sensed location of the vehicle on the road relative tothe lane or lanes along which the vehicle is traveling.

Optionally, because the smart road system may be connected with a highspeed backend network, the system may be operable to provide a highspeed wireless connection for the vehicles traveling along the smartroad, so that the vehicle systems may access the network forinfotainment, web browsing and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the smart road communication system utilizescomponents of vehicles traveling on and along the smart road, andcomponents of the smart road itself and components of a remote server.The vehicle may include sensors 50 and actuators 52, and may include oneor more systems that provide an alert/warning 55 to the driver or thatprovide internal safety monitoring 53 or that provide automated orsemi-automated control 51 of the vehicle. The smart road also includessensors 57 and provides high speed wireless communication link 54 forcommunicating with one or more of the systems or accessories of thevehicle, and may receive information or feedback from the one or moreaccessories or systems of the vehicle. The remote server may receiveinformation or data from the smart road sensors 57 and surroundingvehicle information 58 (such as from other sensors of the smart road orfrom other vehicle communications) and may receive sensor feedback 61from individual vehicles and/or local vehicle control 62 from thecommunication link 54 of the smart road. The central monitoring/control60 may also receive weather information or traffic information 59 or thelike, such as from the internet. The control 60 receives suchinformation and communicates information to the smart road communicationlink, whereby the smart road communication link may communicateinformation to the vehicle or vehicles traveling on and along the smartroad and/or may provide a safety intervention of one or more vehiclestraveling on and along the smart road (such as responsive of adetermination of a hazardous condition ahead of the subject vehicle orthe like).

Thus, the smart road system or communication system of the presentinvention provides enhanced communication with vehicles traveling on andalong the smart road and may provide automated or semi-automated controlof such vehicles.

The vehicles traveling along the road may include any suitablecommunication system that is capable of transmitting vehicle informationto the smart road system's communication devices and receivinginformation from the smart road system's communication devices. Forexample, the vehicle communication systems may utilize aspects of thesystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 6,693,517; 7,156,796and/or 7,580,795, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2015-0158499;US-2015-0124096; US-2014-0218529; US-2014-0375476; US-2012-0218412and/or US-2012-0062743, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/730,544, filed Jun. 4, 2015 and published Dec. 10, 2015 as U.S.Publication No. US-2015-0352953, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vehicles may include a vehicle vision system and/ordriver assist system and/or object detection system and/or alert systemoperates to capture images exterior of the vehicle and may process thecaptured image data to display images and to detect objects at or nearthe vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to assista driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a rearwarddirection. The vision system includes an image processor or imageprocessing system that is operable to receive image data from one ormore cameras and provide an output to a display device for displayingimages representative of the captured image data. Optionally, the visionsystem may provide a top down or bird's eye or surround view display andmay provide a displayed image that is representative of the subjectvehicle, and optionally with the displayed image being customized to atleast partially correspond to the actual subject vehicle.

For example, and as shown in FIG. 4, a vehicle 10 includes an imagingsystem or vision system 12 that includes at least one exterior facingimaging sensor or camera, such as a rearward facing imaging sensor orcamera 14 a (and the system may optionally include multiple exteriorfacing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a forwardly facing camera 14b at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and asidewardly/rearwardly facing camera 14 c, 14 d at respective sides ofthe vehicle), which captures images exterior of the vehicle, with thecamera having a lens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array orimaging plane or imager of the camera. The vision system 12 includes acontrol or electronic control unit (ECU) or processor 18 that isoperable to process image data captured by the cameras and may providedisplayed images at a display device 16 for viewing by the driver of thevehicle (although shown in FIG. 1 as being part of or incorporated in orat an interior rearview mirror assembly 20 of the vehicle, the controland/or the display device may be disposed elsewhere at or in thevehicle). The data transfer or signal communication from the camera tothe ECU may comprise any suitable data or communication link, such as avehicle network bus or the like of the equipped vehicle.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inInternational Publication Nos. WO 2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image datacaptured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects orother vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one ormore of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise anEyeQ2 or EyeQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye VisionTechnologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detectionsoftware (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755;7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detectvehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, andwhen an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate analert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at thedisplayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected objector vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detectedobject or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver ofthe equipped vehicle.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonicsensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image datafor image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensingdevice, such as, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality ofphotosensor elements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (atleast a 640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or thelike), with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portionsof the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality ofphotosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows andcolumns. Preferably, the imaging array has at least 300,000 photosensorelements or pixels, more preferably at least 500,000 photosensorelements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensorelements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, suchas via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, greenand blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via anRCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and controlcircuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and theimage processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitablemeans for processing the images and/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/orcircuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974;5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545;6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268;6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563;6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519;7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928;7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The system may communicate with other communication systemsvia any suitable means, such as by utilizing aspects of the systemsdescribed in International Publication Nos. WO/2010/144900; WO2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO2011/028686; WO 2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012/075250; WO2012/145822; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/086249 and/or WO 2013/109869, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments canbe carried out without departing from the principles of the invention,which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent lawincluding the doctrine of equivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A road system, said road system comprising: a road surface along which vehicles travel, wherein the vehicles traveling along the road surface include electric vehicles; a plurality of electrical charging elements disposed along the road surface; wherein batteries of electric vehicles traveling along the road surface are electrically charged as the electric vehicles travel along the electrical charging elements disposed along the road surface; a plurality of communication devices along the road surface; wherein said communication devices are operable to wirelessly communicate with vehicles traveling along the road surface; wherein at least some of said communication devices along the road wirelessly communicate lane information to a vehicle traveling along a lane of the road surface; and wherein, responsive to the lane information wirelessly communicated by the at least some of the said communication devices to the vehicle traveling along the road surface, the vehicle maintains its path of travel in the lane traveled along by the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road surface.
 2. The road system of claim 1, wherein the batteries of the electric vehicles traveling along the road surface are electrically charged via rolling engagement of the tires of the electric vehicles with the road as the electric vehicles travel along the road surface.
 3. The road system of claim 2, wherein a conductive wheel/tire assembly of an electric vehicle traveling along the road surface rollingly engages a solar panel integrated conductive surface of the road surface as the electric vehicle travels along the road surface.
 4. The road system of claim 1, wherein the batteries of the electric vehicles traveling along the road surface are electrically charged via an induction power transmission link disposed at and along the road surface.
 5. The road system of claim 1, wherein at least some of said communication devices along the road surface wirelessly communicate geographic location information to the vehicle traveling along the lane of the road surface.
 6. The road system of claim 5, wherein the geographic location information is communicated at least during situations where GPS satellite reception at the vehicle is lost or interrupted.
 7. The road system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle traveling along the lane of the road surface comprises an autonomous vehicle, and wherein said communication devices communicate signals to an automated driving system of the autonomous vehicle to control the autonomous vehicle as it travels along the road surface.
 8. The road system of claim 1, wherein said communication devices wirelessly communicate with a remote server, and wherein said remote server receives information via at least some of said communication devices pertaining to at least some of the vehicles traveling along the road surface.
 9. The road system of claim 8, wherein, responsive at least in part to the received information, said remote server communicates information to at least some of the vehicles traveling along the road surface.
 10. The road system of claim 9, wherein the communicated information comprises information about a route of at least one of the vehicles traveling along the road surface.
 11. The road system of claim 10, wherein said remote server transmits commands to the at least one vehicle to at least partially control the at least one vehicle along the route.
 12. The road system of claim 10, wherein, responsive to information pertaining to (i) traffic condition information and/or (ii) weather information, said remote server communicates information to adjust the route.
 13. The road system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a hazardous condition of at least one vehicle traveling along the road surface, at least some of said communication devices communicate signals to a vehicle control system of the at least one vehicle to control (i) the throttle of the at least one vehicle, (ii) the brakes of the at least one vehicle and/or (iii) the steering of the at least one vehicle.
 14. The road system of claim 1, wherein said communication devices receive communications from vehicles traveling along the road surface.
 15. The road system of claim 14, wherein the communications received from vehicles comprise information pertaining to (i) at least one sensor of at least one of the vehicles, (ii) at least one actuator of at least one of the vehicles and/or (iii) driver intent information of a driver of at least one of the vehicles.
 16. A road system, said road system comprising: a road surface along which vehicles travel, wherein the vehicles traveling along the road surface include electric vehicles; a plurality of electrical charging elements disposed along the road surface; wherein batteries of electric vehicles traveling along the road surface are electrically charged as the electric vehicles travel along the electrical charging elements disposed along the road surface; a plurality of communication devices along the road surface; wherein said communication devices are operable to wirelessly communicate with vehicles traveling along the road surface; wherein at least some of said communication devices along the road wirelessly communicate lane information to a vehicle traveling along a lane of the road surface; wherein at least some of said communication devices along the road surface wirelessly communicate geographic location information to the vehicle traveling along the lane of the road surface; wherein, responsive to the lane information wirelessly communicated by the at least some of the said communication devices to the vehicle traveling along the road surface, the vehicle maintains its path of travel in the lane traveled along by the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road surface; and wherein the vehicle traveling along the lane of the road surface comprises an autonomous vehicle, and wherein said communication devices communicate signals to an automated driving system of the autonomous vehicle to control the autonomous vehicle as it travels along the road surface.
 17. The road system of claim 16, wherein said communication devices wirelessly communicate with a remote server, and wherein said remote server receives information via at least some of said communication devices pertaining to at least some of the vehicles traveling along the road surface, and wherein, responsive at least in part to the received information, said remote server communicates information to at least some of the vehicles traveling along the road surface.
 18. The road system of claim 16, wherein, responsive to a hazardous condition of the vehicle traveling along the lane of the road surface, at least some of said communication devices communicate signals to a vehicle control system of the vehicle to control (i) the throttle of the vehicle, (ii) the brakes of the vehicle and/or (iii) the steering of the vehicle.
 19. A road system, said road system comprising: a road surface along which vehicles travel, wherein the vehicles traveling along the road surface include electric vehicles; a plurality of electrical charging elements disposed along the road surface; wherein batteries of electric vehicles traveling along the road surface are electrically charged as the electric vehicles travel along the electrical charging elements disposed along the road surface; a plurality of communication devices along the road surface; wherein said communication devices are operable to wirelessly communicate with vehicles traveling along the road surface; wherein at least some of said communication devices along the road wirelessly communicate lane information to a vehicle traveling along a lane of the road surface; wherein at least some of said communication devices along the road surface wirelessly communicate geographic location information to the vehicle traveling along the lane of the road surface; wherein, responsive to the lane information wirelessly communicated by the at least some of the said communication devices to the vehicle traveling along the road surface, the vehicle maintains its path of travel in the lane traveled along by the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road surface; wherein said communication devices wirelessly communicate with a remote server, and wherein said remote server receives information via at least some of said communication devices pertaining to the vehicle traveling along the lane of the road surface; and wherein, responsive at least in part to the received information, said remote server transmits commands to the vehicle to at least partially control the vehicle along a route of the vehicle.
 20. The road system of claim 19, wherein, responsive to information pertaining to (i) traffic condition information and/or (ii) weather information, said remote server communicates information to adjust the route.
 21. The road system of claim 19, wherein, responsive to a hazardous condition of at least one vehicle traveling along the road surface, at least some of said communication devices communicate signals to a vehicle control system of the at least one vehicle to control (i) the throttle of the at least one vehicle, (ii) the brakes of the at least one vehicle and/or (iii) the steering of the at least one vehicle. 